Shoe and leather sewing machine.



PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903.

J. L. KIEFFER.

I SHOE AND LEATHER SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY,1,1902.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

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I Illlllll 33 a cjoigg yfi jf ff Inventor,

Witnesses Attorneys TOLITHOWASH1NGTON u c No. 742,998. 7 N PA'IBNTED NOV. 3, 1903.

J. L. KIEFFBR.'. SHOE AND LEATHER SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1902.

No MODEL. I 1e snnms-snnm 2.

Witnesses cfosejahZLKz'effe fivent'or,

Attorneys THE uonms was 00.. vuorcuumb. WASHINGTON. I:v c.

No. 742,998. PATENTED NOV. 3

Y J. L. KIEFPER.

SHOE AND LEATHER SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1902.-

16 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

Witnesses: f Inventor,

Attorneys PATENTED NOV. 3

J, L. KIEPPER. SHOE AND LEATHER SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

16 SHBEIS -SHEBT 4.

Witnesses m CjOgQ/glijfieffz Inventor,

Attorneys THE nonms r-nsns co, FHDTO-LXTHO .wasumamm o, c.

PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903.

J. L. KIEIP'FBR. SHOE AND LEATHER SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

Attorneys in: "cams PETERS cc, PHo'ro-uma, WASHiNGTON w. c.

. No. 742,998; 'PATENTBD NOV. 3, 190's.

' J. L. KIEFFER. I

SHOE AND LEATHER SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 1, 1902. N0 MODEL. 16 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

. \k A R 7 Q N Attorneys Inventor,

PATENTED NOV; 3, 1903 J. L. KIEFFER. V SHOE AND LEATHER SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 1, 1902. N0 MODEL. l6 SHEBISSHEET 7.

mg mo v ksm Witnesses: w lnvnfcor,

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Atto rnys No. 742,998. PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903. J. L. KIEFFER. SHOE AND LEATHER SEWING MACHINE.

Inventor,

Attorneys No. 742,998. PATENTED NUV. 3, 1903.

J. L. KIEFFER.

SHOE AND LEATHER SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION r LED M 1 1902.

I H 1s sums-sums).

N0 MODEL.

V Atforneys No. 742,998. PATENTED NOV. 3, 190.8. J. L. KIEFPER.

. SHOE AND LEATHER SEWING MACHINE.

APP LIGATION FILED MAY 1, 1902.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 10.

N0 MODEL.

Attorneys PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903.

J. L. KIEFFER. SHOE AND LEATHER SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1902. V

16 SHEETS-SHEET 11.

N0 MODEL.

, Inventor,

Attorneys No. 742,998. PATENTED NOV. 3,1903% J. L. KIBPFER.

SHOE AND LEATHER SEWING MACHINE.

16 snnms snnm 12.

APPLICATION TILED MAY 1, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

Attorneys NORRIS mans o0 PHOTD-LIYNQ. WASHIN No. 742,998. PATENTED NOV. 3. 1903. J. L. KIEFFER.

SHOE AND LEATHER SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1902. N0 MODEL. 16 SHEETSSHEET 14 Witnesses:

I Attorneys PATENTED NOV 3, 1903.

J. LJKIEFFEE. SHOE AND LEATHER SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1902. H0 MODEL. 16 SHEETS-SHEET 15 Witnesses Attorneys No. 742,998. PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903.,

J; L. KIEFFER. SHOE AND LEATHERSEWING MAOHINEV APPLICATION FILED M 1 1902. N0 MODEL. AY 16 SHEETSSHEET 16.

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lnvenitor,

UL y 7( I Attorneys UNITED STATES Patented November 3, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

SHOE AND LEATHER SEWING MACHINE;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,998, dated November 3, 1903.

Application filed May 1, 1902. Serial No. 105,498. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH LOUIS KIEFFER,

a subject of the King of Great Britain, re-' siding at the city of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe and Leather of the shoe to the welt thereof and to form a lock-stitch by means of two interlockingthreads which are looped together in the well-,

known manner of sewing-machines.

It is the object of my present invention to improve the machine in question in various ways by providing improved and easier methods of handling and adjusting, new and improved modes of forming the stitch, of regulating the position of the lock, measuring the thread, drawing up the thread, feeding and positioning the work, and in general improving the operation and adjustment of the machine as a whole, so as to enable it to do" more and better work, to be more easily adjusted and more exactly set than was formerly possible in those machines which have been hitherto made so far as known to me.

A special object of my invention is to provide an entirely new mode of forming the stitch, to dispense entirely with the threadcarrying shuttle, and to carry the bobbin of thread formerly carried bythe shuttle in a stationary position in the machine while the uiachine-th read is caused to be looped around it. The advantage of this arrangement lies in avoiding the twist both in the bobbinthread and in the lock. caused by the interlooping threads, which twist is incident to the employment of a rotary shuttle and is caused to be taken in the machine or bobbin thread at the point where it linksinto the opposing thread, forming a kind of knot, and making it especially difficult to draw the look through the hole in the leather and prop- In cloth-sewing erly position it thereon.

umchines, in which this type of apparatus was originally used, a twist in the thread adjacent to the look was highly advantageous, because the sinuous and pliable nature of the cloth would not hold a plain loop against being pulled out by drawing upon one of the threads, and this feature has been engrafted into shoe-sewing machinery along with the apparatus which accomplishes it. In sewing leather, however, the operation is vastly different, because of the far greater thickness of the leather and also of its greater stiffness and unyielding nature,which not only makes such a twist in the thread entirely useless, but actually disadvantageous in the manner just pointed out, and, furthermore, it may be stated that it is necessary in stitching leather to position the lock of the thread very precisely between the two faces of the seam,

and the twist caused by the looping process of the rotary shuttle prevents this being done. A subordinate objectof myinvention in this connection is to provide means for delivering the loop of machine-thread gradually from frictional contact with the point of the threadhook in its rotating motion, thus preventing any sudden jerk of the loop over the point of the hook, which is apt to cut the thread.

Another object of my invention is to so improve the pull-od mechanism as to permit of the necessary amount of thread being drawn from the wax-pot for the leather which is being stitched at each reciprocation of the needle, while at the same time dispensing with a projecting part of the machine which is pres out for this purpose in the machine formerly used. In the latter machine the pull- 0% mechanism projected out at the rear, being carried by an arm at the opposite side of one of the cam-levers, and this projection was not only objectionable as being in the way and liable to become broken, but it was especially objectionable as being too close to the pivot of the lever on account of its necessary relation to the wax-pot, so that the motion of the pull-off fork was insufficient to enable enough thread to be drawn from the tension-wheel to supply a heavy seam, whereby the thread was caused to break upon coming to a thick piece of leather.

parts, as above referred to, so as to give an ample degree of reciprocation to the pull-0E fork, while at the same time getting it out of the way and placing it in a more convenient position for cooperation with the. measuring mechanism which is operated by the motion of the table.

Another object of my invention is to improve and reorganize the structure of the thread-measuring device, this object being partially in connection with that heretofore mentioned relative to the auxiliary take-up armthat is to say, in my improved construction of parts the thread-measuring device is got out of the way of the descending cam-1evers, whereby to permit the latter greater latitude of motion and to remove the danger of any of the parts becoming broken and generally toimprove the operation of the machine.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved and easier-operated device for regulating the position of the lock in the seam, which is a very important adjunctive function of leather-sewing machinery, and to provide means-whereby the same may be precisely regulated by a milled headed screw, this improvement being constructed to cooperate with my improvement in the pull-off mechanism above referred to.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved construction of the bobbincase and bobbin carrying the bobbin-thread heretofore carried by the shuttle of the machine, but in my present construction mounted so as to be stationary, as hereinabove mentioned. My object, more particularly speaking in this connection, is to provide means whereby the bobbin may be readily extracted from and inserted into the case, to prevent the bobbin from becomingloose upon its spindle, to provide for the frequent renewal of the wearing parts, and generally to improve the construction and manipulation of the same.

Another object of my invention is to improve the construction of the thread-finger,

which is provided in this type of machines to cooperate with the looper in drawing back the thread, so that the same may be wound about the needle. This thread-finger has a further function in my machine of drawing the loop taut about the hook of the needle, and by a peculiar arrangement of the cam which operates the thread-finger it is caused to give a further advantageous movement to the latter, which is pivoted to move about an axis somewhat differently positioned from that in the former type of machines.

To these ends my invention consists in various important features which effectuate the above objects, and these features may be briefly outlined as follows before proceeding with the general description of themachine.

Perhaps the mostimportant and novel feature displayed in my improved stitcher is over the same. The bobbin itself is mounted to rotate upon a spindle carried in the center of a bobbin-case through a hole in which the bobbin-thread passes, and this bobbin-case is loosely retained in the center of a box or cas ing of flat cylindrical form covered and completed by a bracket which permits a certain amount of play of the said bobbin-case in its box and sufli'cient space all around the same to permit the threadlo0p of the machinethread to pass thereover. This bobbin-case is held stationary, not by any solid connection with the box in which it is placed, but by a small depending lip, which points downwardly and while engaging in a shallow recess in the bracket forming the cover of the bobbin box permits the loop of machinethread to pass easily thereover. The means for drawing the loop of machine-thread over the bobbin-case comprises a curved or arcuate hook having a forwardly-directed point adapted to enter the loop of thread brought up from the Work by the needle and a recurved nose or bill adapted to seize the thread-loop and draw it backwardly. This arcuate thread-hook is caused to osciliate backwardly and forwardly around the bobbin in its box and in a circular raceway formed by the exterior portion of the bobbinbox and around the circumference of the latter. The thread-hook is further secured to a rock-arm extending from an oscillating spindle or rock-shaft to which motion is imparted by a suitably-designed cam revolving on the main 'shaft of the machine. The above-mentioned thread-hook is also formed with a groovein its rear face which is adapted to embrace the end of the needle and deliver the thread therefrom just before the said thread is caught by the recurved nose or bill of the hook and drawn backwardly by the latter in its receding motion over the bobbin, and it further has a grooved tail-shield, which is adapted to cover the needle during the pulling down of the loop by the take-up motion after it has been drawn over the bobbin-case to prevent the said loop becoming entangled with the barb of the needle. It is to be observed that this oscillating threadhook and stationary bobbin take the place of the oscillating or continuously-rotating shuttle heretofore employed, which carried the bobbin with it and through each successive loop ofh1achine-thread.

Another feature of my invention used in connection with the above-mentioned thradhook is the improved means employed by me for spreading or opening the loop on the receding motion of the thread-hook, the said means consisting of a finger which is adapted to be inserted into the loop and to have a slight oscillating motion given it through the mediumof a cam on the main shaft properly timed to catch and push back the side of the thread-loop carried by the thread-hook on its receding motion, and thereby to lift the lap of the thread-loop away from the point of the hook, whereby the thread is prevented from snapping over and becoming out or abraded by the latter.

In that feature of my improved machine which relates to the pull-off mechanism I dispense with the rearwardly-extending arm forming a part of the needle cam-lever in the formerly-used type of machine, which arm had secured thereto the pull-off fork at the end thereof, and instead thereof I provide upon the main portion of the awl-lever itself, just forwardly of the main shaft, a threadmeasuring truck, which is pivoted to the camlever and has a much greater degree of motion than was possible in the old type of machine. This truck comprises a depending arm havinga slot therethrough th rough which passes the thread, and cod peratin g with it are two small thread rolls or studs, one on each side thereof, which hold the thread down while the said thread-measuring truck draws a certain amount of thread upwardly upon thebackward motion of the awl. The amount of thread drawn up upon the upward motion of the truck may be regulated by means of a screw-bolt having a grooved end which projects upwardly through the end of the truck to a variable distance and forms, essentially, the bottom of the slot through which the thread passes. Moreover, the two said thread rolls or studs which cooperate with the truck are not stationary, but they are each mounted to have a difierent adjustment and to be turned up or down in connection with other parts of the apparatus, which will be presently referred to. I

The arrangement of the forward threadroll of the pair just referred to is similar to that employed in the present form of stitcher,

beingconnected by an intermediate link with.

a locking-block which is adapted to be reciprocated by the table, and is arranged to provide more or less thread, in accordance with the thickness of the seam; but my especial construction is in the form of a small arched of the machine whereby to move said roll up or down, and thus increase or decrease the length of the loop pulled off by the threadmeasuring truck; and the especial object of this roller'is not to increase the length of thread in proportion to j the thickness of the seam, but to enable the exact positioning of the thread-lock in the seam at a fixed distance from the upper surface thereof, and this thread-roll therefore remains stationary during the operation of the machine upon not directly mounted upon the central post in the case; but there is interposed a wearsleeve, which is formed with a projecting key interlocking with a groove in the interior surface of the hub of the bobbin. The wearsleeve is itself mounted to turn loosely upon the central post or spindle carried by the bobbin-case, but is prevented by a shoulder on the outer end of said post from coming ofi. of the latter, against which shoulder it is pressed by a plate-spring abutting against its inner end and producing the necessary friction to prevent the momentum of the bobbin carrying it beyond that point which is necessary to secure just enough threadfor the use of the seam. The said central post is not formed integral with the bobbin-case; but, on the contrary, has a screw-threaded stud on its inner end, which is adapted to be screwed into a socketed boss in the back of the case, whereby the wear-sleeve is placed upon the said post before it is screwed up into its position. The bobbin, on the contrary, while prevented by its keyed connection with the wear-sleeve from rotating therewith, may be readily slid off the wear-sleeve and over the end of the post, because the shoulder thereof is not large enough to interfere therewith, and to hold the bobbin in its position I provide a small clip on the outer end of the post, which hooks over the hub of the bobbin. In this manner it will be seen that while the bobbin may be readily slipped on and off without in any way interfering with the rest of the machine or even removing the bobbincase from the machine, yet it is subjected to no wear while rotating on the spindle-postand at the same time the necessary friction to check its momentum is at all times present. Another feature of my invention consists in the improved position and motion given to the thread-finger, whereby the latter is drawn across the thread in the process of looping and is subsequently given a pair of successive small jerks by means of a pair of succes'sive small jogs formed upon the cam which operates the said thread-finger, these jerks being adapted to release the loop of thread by successive small amounts necessary to relieve the abrasion of the thread caused by pulling it through the barb of the needle.

My invention further consists in the par- ICO t-icular construction and combination of parts Fig. 1 looking toward the right.

bobbin-bracket in dotted lines.

after given, and are more particularly pointed out in the claims accompanying this specification.

I have illustrated the most approved form of my improved stitcher in the accompanying drawings, wherein Sheets 1 to 6, inclusive, show general views of the machine. Sheet 7 is a view mainly of the stationary or frame parts. Sheets 8 to 11, inclusive, illustrate the stitching mechanism. Sheet 12 illustrates principally the gage-adjusting device; Sheet 13, the spreading-finger mechanism; Sheet 14, the feed arrangements,

and Sheets 15 and 16 the parts relative to the thread measuring and regulating mechanism. More specifically, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a plan view of the complete machine. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 3, Sheet 3, is a side elevation thereof from the lefthand side of the machine with the balancewheel removed. Fig. 4, Sheet 4, is a side elevation from the right of the machine. Fig. 5, Sheet 5, is a vertical section from front to rear, taken approximately on the line 5 50f Fig. 6, Sheet 6, is a similar section approximately on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1 looking toward the left. Fig. 7, Sheet 7, is a side elevation of the casting constituting the main portion of the frame and the base thereof. Fig. 8, Sheet 7, is a I perspective View of the complete frame, showing the operating parts removed and the several posts adapted to support the shafts and levers clamped in position thereto. Fig. 9, Sheet 7, is a front elevation of the same piece as that shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 10, Sheet 8, is a perspective view from the rear, showing the operative parts of the stitching mechanism qln sit/u. Fig. 11, Sheet 8, is a perspective view of the gear-segment adapted to oscillate the rock-shaft of the oscillating thread-hook, this segment being also shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 12, Sheet 9, is a rear elevation, partly in section, showing the oscillating gearing and connections for the thread-hook shaft. Fig. 13, Sheet 10, is a front elevation of the stitch-forming mechanism, showing the bobbin in position and the thread-hook just entering the loop of machine-thread in the operation of forming a stitch and showing the Fig. 14, Sheet 10, is a similar view to Fig. 13, but showing the thread-hook in its most advanced position in the next step of the operation of forming a stitch, the thread-loop being delivered from the needle and caught over the nose of the hook and in the bight thereof. Fig. 15, Sheet 10, is a similar view to Fig. 14, but showing the thread-hook on its retreating movement, carrying the thread-loop with it and drawing it out over the bobbin, and also showing the operation of the spreading-finger in lifting the thread from the point of the hook. Fig. 16,'Sheet 10, is a similar view to Fig. 15, showing a succeeding point of the op-. eration of forming a stitch, the thread-loop having been carried clean over the bobbin and dropped from the hook, the tail of the latter shielding the point of the needle from becoming entangled with the said thread-loop. Fig. 17, Sheet 10, is a similar view to Fig. 16, but showing a succeeding point in the operation of forming a stitch, the loop being shown in the course of being drawn up by the takeup mechanism and the tail-shield of the hook still guarding the point of the needle. Fig. 18, Sheet 9, is a central vertical transverse section through the thread-hook block and the mechanism carried thereby looking toward the right, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 20 and the bobbin and bob bin-bracket being shown in dotted lines for clearness of illustration. Fig. 19, Sheet 9, is a similar view to Fig. 18, but illustrating the thread-hook in a more advanced position on its retreating movement than Fig. 18, so that the section is taken through the waist of the thread-hook and through the center of its supporting-arm. This figure illustrates also the action of the spreading-finger. Fig. 20, Sheet 9, is a front view of the thread-hook block and the parts mounted therein, shown in nearly the same position as in Fig. 15, the bobbin and its bracket being removed and the right of the block being shown in section to illustrate the spreading-finger and its shaft. Fig. 21, Sheet 11, is a central vertical transverse section of the thread-hook block and the stitch-forming mechanism carried thereby looking toward the left, all the parts being shown in full lines and the position of the threadbook being the same as that shown in Fig. 14. Fig. 22, Sheet 11, isa similar view to Fig. 21, but showing the parts in the same position as that shown in Fig. 16. Fig. 23, Sheet ll, is a perspective view of the bobbinbracket from the front side thereof. Fig. 24, Sheet 11, is a similar view of the bobbin-bracket from the rear side. Fig. 25, Sheet 8, is a sectional view showing the means of adjusting the bobbin-bracket-to afford a requisite space play for the bobbin case. Fig.26, Sheet 11, is a perspective view of the part constituting the thread-hook shaft, gear, disk, and arm, the thread-hook being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 27, Sheet 5, is a perspective view of the back plate separating the bobbin-case from the thread-hook, disk, and arm and forming the back plate of the bobbinboX. Figs. 28 and 29, Sheet 10, are perspective views taken, respectively, from the front and rear sides of the preferred form of my oscillating thread-hook. Fig. 30, Sheet 4, is a perspective view from the front side of a modified form of thread-hook. Fig. 31, Sheet 5, is a perspective view from the rear side of the thread-hook shown in Fig. 30. Fig. 32,

Sheet 12, is a front elevation of the bobbin and bobbin-case. Fig. 33, Sheet 12, is a verthe bobbin and bobbin-case. 12, is a perspective view of the bobbin.

IIO 

